3.4K ‘exiting’ 4Ps beneficiaries in Sorsogon avail of gov’t services

LEGAZPI CITY: Some 3,485 exiting member beneficiaries of the Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program (4Ps) in Sorsogon province benefited from the three-day government service caravan of the Department of Social Welfare and Development-5 (DSWD-Bicol) and the provincial government from Aug. 7 to 9. In a phone interview on Friday, Cecile Mapa, DSWD Sorsogon 4Ps provincial link, said the beneficiaries were from Sorsogon City and Casiguran town who were given an opportunity to have better socio-economic capabilities by connecting them to markets, livelihood, employment, and access to social services. Shr said the service caravan, dubbed the Casiguran-Sorsogon City (CaSorog) Serbisyo Caravan, at the Sorsogon Provincial Gymnasium, aims to give continuous program and assistance to graduating 4Ps member beneficiaries. "Gusto natin ipaabot sa kanila na meron pa rin mga nakahandang benepisyo ang gobyerno pwede nilang matanggap kahit tapos na sila sa 4Ps program (We want to convey to them that the government still has be nefits prepared for them that they can receive even after they have finished the 4Ps program)," she said. She said during the three-day event, the provincial health office recorded the highest number of people availing of services during the medical mission. This was followed by the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) for the job fair, as well as Simbag sa Pag-Asenso Inc. for livelihood and financial literacy services, and the DSWD's Sustainable Livelihood Program (SLP). "The service caravan also strengthens collaboration between various agencies and local government units to address the needs of 4Ps households based on the gaps identified in the results of the Social Welfare Development Indicators (SWDI)," she said. The SWDI is a set of conditions, situations, and resource utilization that enables a family to function adequately and use opportunities available in the community to improve their situation. Other participating agencies were the Sorsogon City Social Welfare and Development Office, Sors ogon PSWDO, DSWD-SLP, the Sorsogon City Health Office, Sorsogon State University, the Department of Science and Technology, the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority, the Public Employment Service Office, and the Department of Trade and Industry. Source: Philippines News Agency